The restoration of land affected by open-cast mining

Abstract

The main reason for restoring lands affected by mining operations is to minimize the impact on the surrounding area, in such a way that the affected zone is reintegrated into the environment, with the Iand being put to its original use. A description of the generic criteria to be applied as regards the shape of slag heaps and final cutting fronts and slopes, in order for them to blend in with the surrounding landscape, is given below. Design of the final configuration of the terrain following restoration is conditioned by a series of factors that may be grouped under three overall headings: topographic, aesthetical and economical. It should also be taken into account that the remodeling will impact on other facets of the process of recuperation, such as the evolution of the soil and the establishment of vegetation. All of the above conditioning factors mean that consideration of the modeling of the terrain must be integrated into the overall planning of the restoration process (even during the initial stages), and that the technical and economic feasibility of the project requires that this be done simultaneously with explotation.